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By Greg Bartlett

Few moments in a parent’s life cause more pride and at the same time more trepidation as the first time a teenager takes the car out for a solo drive. Watching your child maneuver the car down the street carefully observing each driving rule he has learned can cause your heart to swell with pride and accomplishment. Yet the knowledge that your teen has only a few hours of driving experience under his belt can also cause you to pace the floor until he returns safely home. Hazards abound, and your teen may not have the experiential know-how to avoid them. Apart from requiring your teen to check in every 15 minutes, how can you put your mind at ease as to his safety and whereabouts? GPS vehicle tracking provides peace of mind for those long nights when your son or daughter is out with friends in the family car.

Teen Driver Safety

GPS technology continues to expand in its effectiveness each year. A transmitter placed in the car sends a signal to a receiver which can then verify location. Some car tracking devices can also monitor things such as speed, fuel usage, and travel time—useful knowledge for a parent who wants to verify that his teen went exactly where he said he did.

In the United States, over 4,500 teenagers die from vehicle crash injuries each year. An additional 400,000 teens receive injuries in car crashes. As many as 30% of these crashes are alcohol related. As frightening as these statistics are, they are not inevitable. Many accidents involving teen drivers could have been avoided had a more experienced driver been behind the wheel. GPS car tracking can serve as a springboard for talking to your teen about safe driving habits. If you know each place your teen has been, how fast he has been driving, and how many stops he made, you can formulate a strategy for helping your teen understand the dangers of the road and how best to avoid them.

Teens need to assert their independence. It’s part of cutting the apron strings and making their way in the world. Driving plays a large role in this process and teens need the support of their parents. Being a supportive parent, however, does not mean being a helpless one. A GPS car tracking device allows you to take a more active role in monitoring your teen’s driving habits. It could even save his life.